How big can I tow?

[nightstalker]

I'm looking to buy a Bay Boat but am concerned about what size boat I can tow. I have a Chrysler Town and Country with the towing package. The specs say that it will tow 4000 pounds. I am concerned that if I put too much weight on the hitch, it will cause the front end to ride up and the front wheel drive will lose traction when launching or retrieving the rig. Do you think that an 18 footer weighing 1650 with a 350 pound motor and trailer would be OK? Should I go smaller, can I go a little bigger <br />Stalker

 

[chuckz]

Re: How big can I tow?

You can tow 4000 pounds. 2000 pounds is half the vehicle capacity, you'll be fine.

 

[bayman]

Re: How big can I tow?

I agree, most likely you will be okay, I do have some comments though.<br /><br />Hopefully there isn't too much weight on the hitch. The 350 pound motor on the back of the boat should take a decent amount of weight off the hitch you know. If there is too much weight where you don't want it then sometimes you can shift things around in the boat to balance it out more...anchor, extra gas cans etc...<br /><br />On a related note, I always recommend trailer brakes for safety. It seems whenever I am towing there are those who want to pull right in front of me and then slam on their brakes...

 

[jtexas]

Re: How big can I tow?

You only want 10% to 12% of the total weight on the tongue anyway - bet your T&C owner's manual says that somewhere. You're well within your design limits.

 

[agrazela]

Re: How big can I tow?

Nightstalker,<br /><br />Though I like to err neurotically on the side of safety, I think it is safe to say that you are being extremely optimistic.<br /><br />Your motor weight estimate is OK; but unless you are looking at some kind of aluminum boat, I think you may be a bit low on your hull weight estimate there...If you are talking about a fiberglass 18' hull, you really have a hull weight of 2000-2200 lbs.<br /><br />Add 600-800 lbs of trailer, 300-400 lbs of gas and gear, and 600-1000 lbs of bodies seated in your tow vehicle, and you average out to something like 4200-4500 lbs of stuff.<br /><br />To tow what you are contemplating safely, you will need a minimum of a full-sized pickup (e.g., F-150) with a v8. With your tow vehicle, if you want any margin of safety at all, you are going to be limited to about 16' of boat.

 

[Realgun]

Re: How big can I tow?

You will be fine I have seen an 18 footer being used with a Chrysler T&C. He had no real issues except he likes to burn out up the ramp. don't know if its him or the vehicle unloaded a bit and a STEEP ramp.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: How big can I tow?

You need to look at the towing capacity as well as the gross vehicle weight limit for your van (both should be in owner's manual). Then you need to continue adding weight to your (so far) estimate of 2000 lbs. Add weight of trailer (get it from dealer) then add another 3-500 lbs to that to account for fuel and other stuff you'll carry in the boat. <br /><br />My guess is that your rig will be 3,000-3,500 lbs. "wet". Then you need to figure how that fits into the gross vehicle weight limit, assuming the normal number of people and other gear you'll be hauling at the same time. It will be close, but maybe doable, especially if your tows are relatively short and easy. For instance, if you tow 500 miles over a mountain pass, you might not be able to do it with your van if your approaching the limits for tow weight and/or gross vehicle weight. If you tow 60 miles, flat, it might be OK.<br /><br />As for the "tongue weight" of the trailer, you want to adjust the trailer so that it's around 10% of the gross weight of the outfit "wet". I've been able to go with a little less than that, but I tested it to make sure. You can see what this weight will do to the ride of your van by putting 200 - 300 lbs in the very back and see what happens.

 

[Realgun]

Re: How big can I tow?

You can see what this weight will do to the ride of your van by putting 200 - 300 lbs in the very back and see what happens.<br />

Basically remove the rear seat viola 150 LBs.<br />How does it ride when two normal aldults sit in the far back? That how a trailer will affect the back.<br /><br />Really you should have no problems except the vans made by Chrysler. Sorry but we had a van like your it was a P.O.S. So glad we got rid of it.

 

[gatorboaterUF]

Re: How big can I tow?

don't do it i work for a DamlerChrysler dealer and the tranny in that van is not gonna holdup the pump for first and second gear is faulty it will go out and first and second gear will get so hot that they will weld together and will not shift up out of first you have no idea how many of those we get in our transmission tech can rebuild em blindfolded because he does somany it pays 8 hours to do one and hes got it down so well from doin so many he can do it in 4 hours i would not tow anything with it get a beater 1/2 ton truck with a 302, 305, or 318 your van is gonna have a 2.4 3.3 or 3.8 and will be really slugish my buddy has a 4.0 in his jeep and with a good headwind it can not get my 17 footer over 65 and don't forget hills and thats really bad on the interstate where the flow is 70-80 i bought a 97 F250 with a 351 for $3000 from a fleet change over at a local company even better deals are out there to be found

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How big can I tow?

Congrats Gator -- I do believe that's the longest sentence (over 200 words) I've ever seen without one punctuation mark. Throw a period in there periodically. I'm an old duffer and need to stop once in awhile to catch my breath.

 

[JB]

Re: How big can I tow?

Trailers topic.

 

[nightstalker]

Re: How big can I tow?

Thanks for all the help.<br /> As I said, I only go 2 miles to the ramp, so I think I'll stick with an 18 footer.<br />Stalker

 

[JohnRuff]

Re: How big can I tow?

A huge thanks for this thread. I had no idea what was right for my tow vehicle and went and read the manual. It saved me a ton of gas by not pushing the tow button when on the open highway.

 

[notinbig]

Re: How big can I tow?

Gator what kind of a POS are they building at ChRAPysler? I tow a 18 footer from the late 80's and I have no problem getting 80-90MPH That Jeep is a real Heep!?!?!? <br />HAHAHA<br />CHEV 350 BABY!

 

[KM2]

Re: How big can I tow?

NS, Fully loaded you will be around 3000# I think you will be fine, just don't put a 1000# plus in the back of your van. Also use good ramps, front wheel drive vehicles seem to struggle. <br /><br />I use to tow with a 4.0 Jeep GC and it could tow my 4000# boat & trailer at 70 mph just fine. Granted it took a little while to get up to speed. <br />